Are you born again? That is the litmus test. JESUS! get it straight!

[Neshanic]

Dominionsist. Evangelicals, Martians.....It does not matter.

The baseline, the gold standard of RW NUTJOB Christianity is the "Born Again" experience. You believe what they believe. The absolute truth of the Bible and Jesus is working through you.

It is only in using this question as the basis of who you are talking to do you know the truth.

How can you find the problem if you can't even understand the the mindset of the people who practice this extremism?

If the Republican moderates think that they can hide in the herd, this is the only way to smoke them out. This question must be asked of EVERY Republican legislator.

See how fast they flee when polled on the complete unerrancy of the Bible. Also are they born again?

It's going to happen anyway. The question will be posed to US. We already have been tagged with "lacking moral values" by Karl.

Only then will the Republicans who are trying to take back their party will see the writing on the wall. I do not think that they want to live in a country designed by Fallwell and Uncle Karl, with a War Monkey as figurehead.

To the Liberal Christians, of which I am one. You know that our belief of a "Good Christianity" compared to a "Taliban Christianity" is war being waged now.

[DireStrike]

1. If only we had people asking these questions!

What happened to the idea of a bounty fund for true investigative journalists and whistleblowers?

[ThoughtCriminal]

2. They just lie and say yes and yes

Whether they believe it or not. The fundie base buys it even if the Republican legislator has a long history of immoral behavior. How many times have we seen this: A Republican on his third trophy wife attacking a Democrat who has been faithfully married of 30 years for being immoral.

Affairs, abortions, drugs, DUIs, white collar crime, rape, all that doesn't matter to them as long as the candidate will back school prayer.

[Neshanic]

3. Not anymore. They won and they want purity.

[classof56]

4. Actually, it goes beyond just being born again

Bear with me here. To many fundamentalists, not only is it necessary to accept Christ as Savior, you must also be baptized. And many believe you must be baptized in the name of Jesus only, not the traditional "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." Many believe in baptism by immersion, some think it's okay to sprinkle or get water poured over the head. Then there are those who firmly believe in the "Second Blessing", or being baptized with the Holy Spirit, while others believe the Holy Spirit indwells you the minute you accept Christ. And there are those who believe that you must manifest your salvation by speaking in tongues, or you're not truly saved. Quite a few are convinced once-saved-always-saved, but many think you can lose your salvation and have to be saved over and over again. There are those who think it's faith plus works, and if you don't work really hard doing great things for God, you're not going to make it to heaven. And some believe you can if you strive hard enough, you'll reach a state of "sinless perfection". Most hard-line Baptists believe that God won't hear your prayers unless you are "in fellowship" and come to Him with no unconfessed sins hanging out there. I could go on and on about the different "takes" on the gospel, salvation and what "God really wants from his children". No wonder there are about 3000 Protestant denominations!

I'm just trying to point out that it's a little hard to keep up with the message when the messengers are all over the map. I say, let's let the Dobsons, Bauers, Reeds, Falwells, Robertsons, etc. have a cut at "turning America around" and making us a faith-based nation. As they say, the fun will begin when they try to define their "doctrine" and tell us just which one of their beliefs they're going to make all of us follow. Talk about your religious wars! And all us "liberals" can stand, watch and wonder!

Tired Old Cynic

[donco6]

6. They appear unified while they have a common enemy,

but now that they've won, I wonder if we'll see the Great Splintering.

These people can't get along for an iota.

[classof56]

8. You're absolutely right.

I've been around these people my entire life, and I've observed it time and time again. I've often said the most unloving unchristian people I've known are those who call themselves "Christians". Damned discouraging is what it is. I do believe we are about to see the Great Splintering, and I have one more thought: Now that Bush has "won" in part by kissing up to the fundies, I believe it won't be long until it becomes clear he doesn't really need them anymore and they'll be left out in the cold by their "man of faith" hero. His true agenda has nothing to do with Christianizing the world. One only has to look at Iraq to understand that. There are days lately when I find myself wondering if God's really paying attention to this miserable world, but if he is, I have only one prayer: God help us all!

[Neshanic]

9. Religious extremism does wonders for bringing people together.

So many evil things, so little time.

[Neshanic]

7. Take a simple test.

Go to a fundamentalist church in your town. Act interested. Then ask what are the most important things in being born again.

1. Accepting Christ as your personal savior.
2. The Bible is absolute truth.

All else is just crap. They will tell you that. Those are the people that need to be shown that their republican moderate is not.

I don't make up the facts, I just report em.

[donco6]

5. It's rationality v. irrationality

The born again experience: For Mormons it's a "burning in your heart", for charismatics its speaking in tongues, for fundamentalists, its "accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior", for other branches its baptism (some fundies believe in baptism for salvation).

Real Christianity: Faith without works is dead. These are the people who are actually putting their faith into action and doing good works. "By their fruit you shall know them". True Christians are obvious - they're the ones loving their neighbor as themselves.

Christianity in the US has completely, utterly lost its way.